Journey: My OLD Resume (sorta gross)

(318) 465-5811 · terrir99@gmail.com

Terri Richardson

OBJECTIVE

To gain a position where I can best use my bachelor's in mass communications, experience newspaper reporting, and customer service experience to contribute to a team effort to provide stellar service and improve the world around me. 

QUALIFICATIONS

A professional people person, generally cheerful, open-minded, creative and respectful. Talented copywriter. A speedy learner with a cool head in fast-paced, stressful situations, especially in clerical or office settings. Adept at listening carefully to process information from multiple sources quickly. Clever at untangling convoluted descriptions with strict attention to detail. Team-oriented with a thirst for education. Customer service experienced and computer savvy, inventive ideas for social media campaigns and copywriting for advertising or other sales and attention. Familiar with all levels of government and public service. Goal-minded with experience meeting urgent deadlines. File management, Type 120 wpm. 

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications, Texas A&M University-Texarkana, December 2009

Cum Laud Graduate Liberty-Eylau High School – Texarkana, Texas, June 1999

EXPERIENCE

• 2014 – 2024 (Raleigh, North Carolina based)  Independent Freelancer & Homemaker

Work with independent clients as a writer, photographer (weddings), critical analysis consulting, housekeeping, social media campaign designs, restaurant and service, lost 150 pounds with diet and exercise, improved my personal health, taught the Whole Foods Plant Based diet, organizing and moving. Dowsing (finding things/people).  Food Service: Cashier, Dishwasher, Waitress

• 06/2013 – 09/2013 Michael’s of Longview, Texas

[Frame Shop] Ordering custom frames, measuring customers’ artwork and photos, ordering custom mats and fillers, cut glass in-house, and fulfilling orders for frames ordered through the Michaels Frame Shop. Cashiering, sales, and returns. 

• 02/2009 – 03/2012 The Marshall News Messenger Marshall, Texas

[City/business/general assignments reporter] Staff writer on the city government and business beats, covering an average of 12 stories a week for news and features. Routine coverage of city commission and tax-funded corporations, as well as weekly business features. Self-starting on leads for general assignments and while covering charitable nonprofits, economic development, tourism, community growth and Caddo Lake environmental issues. Corresponding photo coverage. Laid out several Sunday and weekday editions, copy edited for mistakes and managed Associated Press content. Many articles were picked up within the ASP Westward network of papers, especially the Longview News-Journal.

• 03/2010 - 10/2014  Muse Meets Main Media (owner) Marshall, Texas

[Media services] Freelance projects including websites, written copy, press releases, brochures, layout and design, graphics editing, event photography, marketing projects for Hometown Computers of Marshall and more. Occasional jobs.

• 05/2006 - 08/2008 Texarkana Gazette Texarkana, Texas

[Police reporter] Maintained a multi-departmental beat for regional police and emergency response stories in a booming twin-city and over the Gazette’s 13-county circulation. Monitored scanners for current/breaking news events with frequent coverage of tragic murders, accidents, crimes and fires. Many stories were picked up by the Arkansas Democrat Gazette and by the Associated Press for national attention. Also dispatched to society, weekend events and feature stories. Worked weekends, holidays and swing shift. Reporting internship, summer 2006.

• 08/2004 - 05/2006 SAU The Bray Magnolia, Ark.

[Reporter, page builder, assistant editor] Campus news reporter and editor of a student news publication at Southern Arkansas University. Covered university departments, student organizations and the humanities for cultural impact including theatre and music. Weekly page layout, photography, governed content, created ads and oversaw other student staff

Writers.

• 01/2005 - 05/2006 Movie Gallery Magnolia, Ark. 

[Senior customer service representative] Assisted with purchases, cashiered, stocked inventory, made deposits and sales. Closing duties, access to safe.

• 05/2003 - 05/2004 SAM’S Wholesale Club Texarkana, Texas 

[Membership clerk and cashier] Provided hospitality as a member service clerk. Managed membership accounts and renewals, cashiered, stocked and fulfilled sales quotas.

• 04/2002 - 02/2003 Continental Parts Company Dallas, Texas

[Customer service and warehouse orders] Typed in orders for an interstate car parts warehouse that served new car dealerships with very strict attention to detail. Fielded high volume phones while entering parts data with 10-key by touch as well as alpha-numeric entry. Credited accounts for defects and returns. Generated invoices and performed routine audits on warehouse tickets.

• 06/2000 - 04/2002 Stream Services International Dallas, Texas

[Technical support agent] Managed inbound customer calls for Hewlett-Packard product lines. Troubleshoot and solved technical issues with DeskJet, ScanJet, OfficeJet software and hardware. Recorded and maintained customer call cases, and developed alternate solutions to common issues. Strict listening and verbal communication of solutions. Created positive

customer relations with irate and distressed people.

• 01/1998 - 06/2000 Super 1 Foods Texarkana, Texas

[Cashier, bakery, gas attendant ] Brookshire Grocery Company certified cashier as well as occasional utility clerk, gas kiosk clerk, prepared bakery goods. Liberty-Eylau High School DECA marketing project progressed to nationals and resulted in the implementation of gas pumps at the Texarkana store before this became a company trend.

ORGANIZATIONS & AWARDS

• Graduate of Leadership Marshall, 2010

• Second place winner ASPY Online Convergence, for coverage of Texas Music Awards, 2010

• Honorary mention, 2010 Texas APME Awards, specialty reporting, (Caddo Lake salvinia)

• Former member of the Arkansas Press Association, 2006-2008

• Texas A&M University-Texarkana, named to the Dean’s List for Spring 2007

• Texas A&M University-Texarkana team member for documentary The Phantom Killer, 2008

• Second place, Arkansas College Media Association, review writing competition, 2006

• Journalism Student of the Year, Southern Arkansas University, 2006

• Texas DECA winner for a marketing project to implement gas pumps at Super 1 Foods, 1999

*****

Yeah -- That's who I was, but I barely recognize myself from then til now.

Now, I'm Terri Contrary Gonzo Shaman who knows how to manifest and live in the flow of the moment without forcing. What a trip this has been to go from being Her to being HER.

I'm still not sure how to communicate with that old world as the New Me, but I'm working on it.

Authentic to a fault?

Not my fucking fault.

Obviously, there will be Dipshit Dingleberries who cannot see me as my New Self since my Rebirth, but let them be blind and forgetful -- I'm here to be me as I choose on the new day as my new self.